Operation Fuel’s legacy system struggled to manage the sheer volume of applications they received during peak seasons. Applications were processed on a first-come, first-served basis, which failed to account for clients in critical need, such as those facing shutoffs or fuel shortages. 

• Processing Time: 3–6 months to process 2,000–3,000 applications. 

• Client Impact: Clients often went weeks without heat, exacerbating health and safety risks during winter months. 

• Manual Effort: Staff required significant overtime to manually sort and review applications. 

Nancy Abramowitz, Operation Manager, described the experience: 

We couldn’t quickly process applications, and that really impacts Connecticut residents... People apply because they’re in a troubling time. Approving them quickly became a huge problem. 

The absence of real-time reporting made it difficult for Operation Fuel to monitor critical data: 

• Grant Allocation: Staff struggled to track how much funding had been distributed versus what remained, leading to unexpected shortfalls. 

• Financial Reporting: With over 80 restricted grants, the process of matching clients to the correct funding source was time-consuming and error-prone. 

• Operational Decisions: Leadership lacked immediate access to performance data, forcing decisions based on outdated or incomplete information. 

Nancy explained the implications:

We couldn’t see how much money we had in the pipeline, or how many grants were left to approve... We were always playing catch-up.  

Operation Fuel works with over 300 fuel vendors and utility companies, but their old system exacerbated confusion: 

• Vendor Selection Errors: Clients had to manually scroll through hundreds of vendor names, often choosing incorrect companies. 

• Payment Delays: Miscommunications and manual invoice submissions meant vendors faced delays in getting paid, straining relationships. 

• Outstanding Invoices: At the end of previous seasons, hundreds of invoices—sometimes as many as 800—remained unresolved. 

Gannon Long, Chief Program & Policy Officer, reflected on these inefficiencies: 

We were always behind. At the end of every season, we were scrambling to reconcile hundreds of outstanding invoices.

Recognizing the need for a transformative solution, Operation Fuel explored a range of software platforms. Their selection process highlighted the importance of: 

• Customizability: Many platforms were too rigid to accommodate their unique mix of nonprofit and quasi-governmental workflows. 

• Affordability: As a nonprofit, sustainability was critical; the solution needed to balance robust features with cost-effectiveness. 

• Proven Results: NewOrg stood out due to its flexibility, client references, and track record of success with similar organizations. 

Nancy described the decision: 

NewOrg hit the right balance—giving us the features we needed without stretching our budget. We knew it could work because we saw proof with other agencies.

The transition to NewOrg was a collaborative process, carefully tailored to meet Operation Fuel’s needs: 

• Detailed Scoping and Onboarding: NewOrg’s team, led by Duncan and Jared, worked closely with Operation Fuel to map out workflows, prioritize needs, and build customized features.
  
  
• Staff and Vendor Training: Training sessions ensured staff, fuel banks, and vendors were confident in using the new system.
  
  
• Iterative Problem Solving: As unexpected issues arose, the NewOrg team addressed them promptly, often delivering solutions in real-time. 

Nancy praised the partnership: 

It felt very collaborative. Your team knows the software inside-out and helped us figure out the best way to achieve what we needed.

NewOrg has transformed application processing at Operation Fuel by implementing a grant requirement matrix that staff can easily configure, enhancing the prioritization of applications based on urgency and grant restrictions. This matrix helps collect appropriate client information directly, allowing for prioritization based on a number of factors to ensure funds from more restricted grants are used effectively. The application summary screen equips staff with vital information to quickly address issues like duplicate households and missing documents. It also facilitates direct communications with vendors and applicants via email or SMS, ensuring efficient and transparent processing.

Processing Time Reduced: 

• Pre-NewOrg: 3–6 months to process ~2,000 applications. 

• Post-NewOrg: 1 month to process 1,500 applications; 800 applications in just 2 weeks. 

Potential Applications Processed Over 6 Months

Prioritizing Vulnerable Clients 

NewOrg’s system has revolutionized how Operation Fuel addresses urgency in energy assistance by prioritizing applications based on critical criteria: 

• Pending Shutoffs: Immediate priority to prevent service interruptions. 

• Medical Conditions: High priority for clients dependent on powered medical devices or sensitive to temperature extremes. 

• Age Vulnerability: Special focus on elderly clients and families with young children, who face higher risks in adverse conditions. 

Implementation and Impact 

The prioritization mechanism includes:

• Data Integration: Client information is directly inputted into NewOrg, triggering automatic categorization based on urgency.
  
  
• Real-Time Updates: Staff can update client statuses as situations evolve, escalating priority as needed.
  
  
• Automated Alerts: Alerts notify staff of high-priority applications, ensuring rapid processing. 

Client Impact Example 

Gannon Long highlights the system’s effectiveness: 

During a severe cold snap, a single mother faced imminent heating shutoff. Thanks to NewOrg, we processed her application and disbursed funds within 24 hours, preventing her family from enduring potentially dangerous conditions.

Spending Down Restricted Grants 

Operation Fuel has experienced significant advancements in financial management with NewOrg's automated grant-matching capabilities, which have been instrumental in utilizing over $100,000 of previously untapped funds. This automation ensures that each grant is aligned with the appropriate client needs without manual oversight, streamlining fund distribution and greatly enhancing financial efficiency.

Before, we couldn’t find clients that matched grant restrictions. With NewOrg, the system does it for us.

Improved Financial Reporting 

 With integrated QuickBooks capabilities, financial reconciliation is faster and more accurate. For instance: 

• Invoice Accuracy: Reduced discrepancies to a mere $0.15 over an entire season. 

• Faster Payments: Vendors now receive payments within days instead of weeks. 

Fuel banks and vendors have embraced the new system enthusiastically: 

Simplified Vendor Processes: 

 Vendors can upload invoices directly to the portal and track payment statuses in real-time. 

Uploading invoices is so easy! It’s faster and more reliable than mailing them.

Improved Fuel Bank Access: 

Fuel banks now have visibility into client application statuses, reducing the need for back-and-forth calls and emails. 

Our partners can see application progress instantly. It’s saved everyone so much time.

Clients now benefit from a simplified application process that guides them through eligibility, household information gathering, and document upload, providing the simplest workflow possible depending on the vendor, fuel type, documentation requirements, and special circumstances. This has led to much lower support burden on staff, fewer rejected applications, and significantly fewer incomplete applications requiring follow-up.

The impact of NewOrg is evident in Operation Fuel’s metrics:

With NewOrg in place, Operation Fuel can now focus on long-term growth and strategy: 

• Expanding Programs: Plans for an energy efficiency program are already underway.
  
  
• Targeted Outreach: Real-time reporting helps identify gaps, such as clients who qualify for water assistance but have not applied.
  
  
• Strategic Financial Management: Leadership can now proactively plan for funding needs and advocate for resources based on precise data. 

Brittany Bergstrom, Director of Assitance Programs, concluded: 

NewOrg has freed up our bandwidth. We’re not just surviving peak seasons—we’re planning, strategizing, and expanding our impact.  

NewOrg’s implementation at Operation Fuel demonstrates how the right technology can transform nonprofit operations, enabling organizations to deliver their mission more efficiently and effectively. The improvements—faster processing, smarter financial management, and better collaboration—have directly enhanced the lives of thousands of Connecticut residents. 

As Gannon Long aptly summarized: 

We’ve gone from always being on the defensive to being proactive. NewOrg didn’t just improve our systems; it transformed how we serve our community.